War in Ukraine

Putin has seven types of cancer, heart attack and stroke, economy in shambles, trying to avoid a firing squad but looks to be getting everything he wanted …

 

Putin rehabbing from being paralyzed from the neck down …

 

Zelensky convinces the skid that the USA should develop the REM infrastructure to make Ukraine a major exporter of REM in exchange for allowing the US to continue to fund the war and a % of something they don't have right now. Makes him vested in keeping Ukraine happy in peace terms

Feels like a big win for Ukraine even if they jsut get the jobs and part of the ownership of the infrastructure ti develop their resources..just had to make the skid think it was his idea and he was winning biggly, huuuugely even.

Trump says Ukraine has ‘essentially agreed’ to allow the US access to $500B in rare earth minerals

 

the drunk tv star just gave up Crimea, more coming for Putin

US Secretary of Defense considers it "unrealistic" for Ukraine to return to pre-2014 borders

A return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an "unrealistic" goal, as stated by US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, at a NATO meeting in Brussels. He also mentioned that the US does not see Ukraine's accession to NATO as part of a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.

"We, like you, want a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, but we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic goal. Pursuing this illusory goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering," were Pete Hegseth's words.

 

good that they caught him but bad that he was able to get there

US Secretary of Defense considers it "unrealistic" for Ukraine to return to pre-2014 borders

Ukrainian Security Service detains head of anti-terrorism unit working for Russia
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained the head of its counterterrorism department on charges of working for Russia, as reported by the Ukrainian spy agency in a statement, according to Efe.

According to SBU chief Vasil Maliuk, the alleged spy was involved in "fourteen episodes of non-regulatory activity" documented by the SBU itself.

Maliuk explained that the operation against the alleged traitor involved various forms of surveillance through video, audio, and by infiltrating his mobile phones and computers, proving how the former head of the SBU's anti-terrorist unit was passing information to the enemy.

 

Well, I have to ask the question, “Do you think it’s realistic to return to the 2014 borders by negotiation?” If the answer is yes, then I would like to know how. I would also like to know if you think Harris could have returned the situation to 2014 and how.

To reiterate my position, I also would like to see the world reset to 2014, but I don’t see how it could be done by negotiated settlement. By increasing military and economic pressure to the point of Russian collapse, it certainly could be done. And it may still come to that if Russia does not give significantly in any negotiations. But I don’t think Russia will even come to the table if it means giving up Crimea, and they have both bled too much and not bled enough for that to seem like a good deal.

 

Is that your "material" for later?

 

Let's be real here. Crimea was never going back to Ukraine. Given there are over 1M Russians there, probably best for them they don't get it back. Obvious strategic issues notwithstanding, I just can't see it happening or not being a disaster on the slim chance Ukraine recovered it.

 

We lost any chance with the muddling around in the first year. Should have sent them everything we could spare the minute they stopped that advance on Kiev. The "counteroffensive" they advertised for 6 months was also pretty boneheaded, especially without any air support (let alone air superiority). Why not go Ludendorff and set up kill zones and bait them into attacking? Makes more sense than smashing your head into a wall.

Now, it's just a morass and, frankly, I can't find anyone without blame. On our end we get the awesome choice of wafflers (Ds) or straight-up traitors (MAGA).

 

if Russia wants to be accepted back into the league of nations and financial systems, the 2014 borders should be restored. There are other levers besides bullets

 

I don’t think Crimea is going back either, but taking it off the board entirely before negotiations even start only hampers Ukraine and helps Russia in the eventual final deal. The answer should be “it will be up to the parties to negotiate a settlement.”

 

I agree, but I don't think Russia will. Patience, my friend. I have no idea how things are going to turn out, but I don't think it's going to be with a negotiated settlement in the next 100 days that leaves Russia in control of its stolen land (and land that Russia has failed to steal militarily), all sanctions lifted, and Ukraine vulnerable to another attack once Russia has licked its wounds. I still think ultimately negotiations will fail because Russia will not settle for less than that, even though it lacks the capability to impose its will militarily. But an offer for negotiations six months from now, after another failed Russian offensive and even more corrosive economic warfare, may see a different tone than what you see today.

 

Agreed but I don't think you open negotiations by giving up before you walk into the room. that was capitulation with more to be asked of Ukraine.

 

On a silver platter. When is the Putin/Trump summit and victory lap? I'm sure Trump can't wait to host Putin in DC and royally kiss his ass.

 

I have a feeling that Crimea had to be taken off the board before the Russians would be willing to agree to sit down at the table to talk peace. Russia under Putin has invested a ton of blood, sweat, tears, and money into Crimea and if it were to go back to Ukraine, it would signal to Putin's enemies that he is vulnerable. If peace is going to be achieved in the short term, Crimea is going to have to stay in Russian hands.

 

I doubt that’s true, more like someone with zero diplomatic experience talking when he shouldn’t. And even if true, it’s not the SecDef’s place to speak on foreign policy unless speaking about how it impacts our military. That is for the president or SOS.
And even if it is true, it’s not our concession to make. It’s Ukraine’s. Sure we can threaten to cut off the spigot, but it’s still their fight and their land. If we force a settlement for our convenience that further bolsters Russia, we lose long term. And I saw a headline today that they were popping champagne corks in Moscow when he said it, so our attempts at settling this (of our own volition, not theirs) aren’t off to an awesome start.

 

No idea, but giving up Crimea is probably a non-starter for any negotiations. And it isn't like Ukraine is going to be in position to take it back anytime soon, no matter how much material support we give. This might be a tool to bring Russia to the table. Once you have Russia at the table, you can get a full sense of what their real position is and, more importantly for our purposes, how unreasonable it is. Again, I don't think there will be any deal until Russia suffers a lot more, but let's just say we can get something where Russia keeps some, not all, of the land it has taken and Ukraine gets an iron-clad security guarantee that keeps Russia from reopening the war in two years. Now that's not better than returning to 2014, but is it better than the war continuing for another two years at this rate of suffering and destruction, before only then having to settle for an imperfect deal? Yes, I think it is. However, the reason I don't think you have to worry about an imperfect deal right now is that necessary security guarantee. For the moment, that is a walk-away point for Ukraine if they don't get it and a walk-away point for Russia if Ukraine does. Still, I say it's worth it to bring Russia to the table if for no other reason than to demonstrate how laughably ridiculous their position is to those who remain sympathetic to them. Once the world sees how intransigent Russia is, let's really put the screws to them to the point where that security guarantee doesn't seem like such a bad thing.